What Krill Oil Does To Your Body
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What are the benefits of Krill Oil?
Krill oil is a food supplement that is produced from tiny marine creatures called krill, which are like miniscule shrimps. Like other supplements such as cod liver oil, krill oil is becoming very popular for the high levels of omega-3 fatty acids that it contains, as well as antioxidants and other beneficial components. Some scientists believe that the fatty acids in krill oil are easier for the body to access than those found in other types of fish-based oils. Certain studies have also discovered that krill oil better raised the levels of omega-3 in the body than other fish oils did. There are a number of different health benefits to regularly taking a supplement of krill oil. Here is a short run down of a few of them.
Swelling and inflammation
The omega-3 fatty acids that are particularly present in krill oil are believed to be excellent at reducing swelling within the body as well as lowering pain experienced by the user. It has been found that krill oil contains a pigment called astaxanthin, which is a pinky orange color and has both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Studies have found that this, as well as the EPA and DHA found in krill oil, helps to reduce inflammation-causing molecules in the body when faced with harmful bacteria.
For those who suffer with dry eye, taking capsules of krill oil orally for around twelve weeks has been reported to prevent the symptoms, particularly redness associated with that condition.
Pain reduction
Because of its ability to reduce inflammation, krill oil is also good at helping to reduce the pain associated with arthritis and other joint stiffness. Users of krill oil have also reported that the supplement has increased their range of motion in joints that were previously stiff and painful.
It seems that a regular dose of krill oil can also significantly help women who have been diagnosed with PMS (premenstrual syndrome). Again, due to the anti-inflammatory properties of krill oil, it has been found that taking this supplement has helped to decrease the severity of menstrual cramps in a number of women, resulting in them having to take much less pain medication.
Heart health
It seems that regularly taking krill oil can also help to keep our hearts healthy. Studies have shown that taking oils like krill oil can help to improve blood lipid levels and lower levels of certain types of blood fats within the bloodstream. This improves the health of the circulatory system, including the heart. Krill oil has also been known to raise levels of ‘good’ cholesterol in the body (particularly high-density lipoprotein cholesterol), and lower levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol), which also helps with heart health.
Mental health
It has also been reported that taking krill oil regularly can help to improve mental health, particularly in the case of mood disorders such as depression. This is because of the omega-3 fatty acids present in krill oil. In a number of depressed patients, it has been discovered that they have lower levels of omega-3 in their blood, so taking a supplement such as krill oil can greatly increase these levels and so significantly decrease their likelihood of suffering with depressive episodes.
Similar results have been found when looking at whether supplements like krill oil can protect against mental health diseases like postpartum depression, bipolar disorder and seasonal affective disorder. Along with depression, it seems that there are much lower rates of these mood disorders when patients have higher levels of these omega-3 fatty acids.
